Happy Juneteenth!

Juneteenth may not be recognized as a federal holiday, but it deserves to be celebrated.

It marks the day in 1865 when news arrived in Galveston, Texas that the enslaved were now free.

This was more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, and explanations for the delay vary (Messenger murdered? Lack of sufficient Union forces to enforce executive order? News deliberately withheld?). In any case, on June 19, 1865, Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston with the following message:

"The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired laborer."

Juneteenth traditions vary by place, but regardless of specifics, the holiday is a time for celebrating African American freedom and achievement, and for reflection, education, and self improvement.

Speaking of education, reflection and self improvement…

You can read more about the history of Juneteenth here and here.

Here are additional articles to check out:

• “Meaningful Ways to Celebrate Juneteenth This Year,” from Travel & Leisure

• National Museum of African American History and Culture Releases “Talking About Race” Web Portal

• “Socially Distant, Nature Based Ways to Mark Juneteenth” (for those in Washington DC)

And here are some of the items on our listening list for today:

• “Juneteenth,” from Pod Save America

• “153 Years of Juneteenth,” from The Takeaway

• “Celebrating Juneteenth Because George Floyd Changed the World,” from UCI Podcast

In Solidarity

Out There Podcast stands with the Black community and with all those who are confronting systemic racism.

Change starts with every single one of us.

We have plenty to learn and much work to do, and we are taking on that task of learning and doing.

We are committed to doing the work and showing up for racial justice and diversity — both indoors and out — now and in the long term.

As a podcast committed to making the concept of ‘the outdoors’ accessible to all, we will be better advocates for BIPOC to be able to access the outdoors without fear of violence, harassment and discrimination.

We commit to:

• Listening to BIPOC, both inside and outside of the Out There community

• Getting informed by educating ourselves

• Making space for and amplifying diverse perspectives, stories and experiences in the stories we tell and the people who tell them

• Diversifying our team

Ready to join in listening, learning and taking action?

Here are some Instagram accounts and hashtags we’re following, because we want to see a feed full of diverse people connecting with the outdoors. You could follow them, too:

• @outdoorafro

• @melaninbasecamp

• @the_gentleman_lumberjack

• @she_colorsnature

• @browngirl_outdoorworld

• @wecoloroutside

• #diversifyoutdoors

Here are some books we’re diving into. You could add them to your reading list, too:

• Me and White Supremacy by Layla F Saad

• Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi

• How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi

• White Fragility: Why it’s so hard for white people to talk about racism by Robin DiAngelo

Here’s what’s in our earbuds at the moment. We invite you to listen along:

• 1916 — an audio series from the NY Times about how slavery has transformed America

• Let’s Talk About Whiteness — Krista Tippett, host of On Being, interviews Eula Biss, author of “White Debt”

• Seeing White — a documentary series from Scene on Radio exploring the history and meaning of whiteness

And finally, here’s a wonderfully thorough Ally Resource Guide including a lot of suggestions on where to donate money right now. And here’s a Guide to Outdoor Allyship from Melanin Base Camp.

Photo by National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian

Beginners

Did you miss our live show? We recorded it, so you can watch the rerun!

powered by Crowdcast

Adult Scavenger Hunt

During this time of sheltering in place, many of us are going for walks, runs, or bike rides in the same neighborhoods, day after day after day.

Let’s play a game to keep things fresh!

Photo by Hoàng Chương

“You need to let the little things that would ordinarily bore you suddenly thrill you.”

— Andy Warhol

Here’s how it works

• We’ll post a list of things to look for when you’re out and about.

• If you see one of the items, snap a photo.

• When you have photos of all five, email them to us (outtherepodcast1@gmail.com). The first person to get all the items on the list wins a prize.

Ready to start? Here’s the list!

1. An affirmation written in sidewalk chalk

2. Somebody walking a very tiny dog

3. Weeds growing through cracks in the pavement

4. A wild animal

5. Public art

Please make sure to maintain proper social distancing while doing this activity.

Live Event: Join us for an evening of true stories about first times

You’re invited to Out There’s first ever live storytelling event!

Join us online from the comfort of your couch for an evening of true stories about first times. 

At a time when a lot of us are beginners at spending so much time indoors, five talented storytellers will regale you live with tales of first times in the outdoors. 

Grab a drink and a snack from the kitchen and settle in with us for an hour of captivating stories.

The details

When: Thursday, May 7 at 6pm PST / 9pm EST.

Where: register and attend online via Crowdcast by clicking here. Why not take 30 seconds and register now? Once you register Crowdcast will send you an email confirmation of registration, plus a handy reminder 10 minutes before the event starts.

How much? Free!

The storytellers

Amy Strieter

Amy, poet and naturalist, holds an MFA from The University of Oregon and a BA from Kenyon College. She has worked as a butterfly garden tour guide, an airport shuttle driver, a wildlife writer, a writing instructor, and an architecture firm administrator, among other things. She lives in Eugene, Oregon, where she thrives on quiet hikes, lively potlucks, jigsaw puzzles, flowering shrubs, and dark chocolate.

Ashley White

Ashley is a home-grown child of the Midwest. He always knew he wanted to explore remote places but didn’t have the resources to actually start until college. So he spent a ton of time in libraries and reading National Geographic magazines about the world beyond his neighborhood. In college, when Ashley was introduced to kayaking and backpacking, he knew he’d found his community.

He’s now married with four kids (yes, four), so his outdoor experiences must often be family friendly. But he’s committed to inculcating a love of nature into his children. And he still manages to go on a few trips a year that take him off the grid.

Jessica Taylor

Jessica has always been an adventurer and lover of nature, and her chihuahua, Foxy, joins her on most adventures. In February 2019, she left her 9-5 job to concentrate full time on her own business in Digital Marketing. From backpacking, to snowboarding, and skydiving to off-roading, Jessica is always up for the adventure.

Kayla Bordelon

A childhood spent with mud between her toes led Kayla to work as a trail builder, wilderness ranger, Peace Corps volunteer, interpretive park ranger, outdoor educator and international volunteering guide before settling down in North Idaho. Now she’s excited to build a little community and grow some roots. Besides playing in the mountains, Kayla dances Cuban salsa, advocates for climate action, and hosts a regular soup night.

Natasha Buffo

Natasha Buffo is a former Silicon Valley business analyst turned solo world traveller, snowboarder, and backpacker. Her writing career began in Uganda, Africa, discovering that words are the best device to properly share our most powerful experiences. From building her website dirtandtears.com, she’s developed a unique ability to evoke emotion, using stories of adventure to help us navigate through caregiving, grief, anxiety and depression.

When she’s not exploring the open road through the U.S. National Parks, or the cultures and trails of New Zealand and Peru, she resides in the remote town of Kirkwood, California, on the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range.

We look forward to joining you in curling up with a glass of wine as we listen to amazing stories from your fellow Out There fans.

-Willow and the Out There team

Be our summer intern!

Out There seeks (remote) production intern for summer 2020

This internship is an excellent opportunity to work one-on-one with an award-winning podcast team, and develop your audio production, editorial and/or social media skills.

(Photo by Tommy Lopez)

About Out There

Nature has a remarkable capacity for helping us make sense out of our lives and the world around us. Out There is a testament to that power. Hosted by former Wyoming Public Radio reporter Willow Belden, the award-winning show explores big questions through intimate stories outdoors. 

For example, a rock climber asks whether you’re a bad feminist if you do a sport just because your husband loves it. A young man on his first hunting trip explores whether we’re all capable of pulling the trigger. And a black birdwatcher explains why the outdoors is not as colorblind as many of us would like to believe.

New episodes are released every two weeks, and most take the form of first-person narratives, with highly edited scripts and detailed sound design. Occasionally, we also run interviews with authors or filmmakers, when the subject matter is spot on.

About the Internship

"Being the production intern this semester has been an awesome experience: I've been able to practice some sound design work, narrative editing and I even got to write my own story for the show! Willow's a great mentor for developing these skills, and she's taught me a lot about life in general too. I would highly recommend this internship to anyone who's excited about podcasting and wants to improve their storytelling skills."

— Ben Montoya, current production intern

We want you to be doing work you’re excited about, so we’ll tailor the internship to you, based on your goals, interests and skills.

Here are some things your internship could focus on (please indicate in your cover letter which of these interest you most):

• Audio production — cutting tape, editing interviews, doing sound design/mixing for stories (this would require basic knowledge of audio editing software, such as Adobe Audition, though we will work with you to hone your skills)

• Editorial — evaluating story pitches, pre-interviewing guests, booking interviews, editing scripts

• Social media — help us grow our social media following and improve our social media content (we’re very open to new ideas!)

• Suggest your own focus — if there’s something you could bring to the table that’s not listed above, we’re all ears.

Audio mix of an Out There episode

What You’ll Get

This internship is a chance to work one-on-one with an award-winning podcast team.

It’s unpaid, but you’ll have weekly meetings with Out There Host Willow Belden via phone or video chat, and you’ll get to put your mark on the show’s stories and social media. 

Think of it as a mentorship, where you’ll learn what’s entailed in running a professional media operation, and gain fluency in skills you want to develop.

You’re also welcome to pitch us a story of your own; if it’s a good fit, we’ll work with you to develop it.

Script editing for Out There (Photo by Willow Belden)

Time Commitment

The internship lasts for one semester. We ask that you be ready to devote an average of 8 hours per week to it.

To Apply

Send a resume and cover letter to willow@outtherepodcast.com by May 15, 2020 with “Internship Application” in the subject line.

Please make sure to highlight relevant experience/skills, as well as the areas you’d most like to focus on (eg. audio production, editorial, etc.). If you’ve done previous audio work, please provide a link to a story that showcases your skills.

One final note: We strive to be a welcoming place for people and stories of all stripes. We want diverse voices on the show and behind the scenes, telling stories that encompass a wide array of experiences. If you feel you would bring an underrepresented perspective to Out There, please let us know!

Hopeful Hues

A playlist for troubled times

Does it feel like it’s been a while now since you’ve started to #shelterinplace? Well, regardless of where you’re located, whether on the east coast, west coast, somewhere in between or across the border, we have a virtual hug JUST for you!

Our team, here at Out There, compiled a list of songs and stories that brought a smile to our faces, helped us find comfort, or refocused our perspective.

Whatever it is that you need right now, we hope the variety in the #HopefulHues playlist helps color your days with encouragement and inspiration.

(Hey, with over 25 tracks, and over eight hours of our best #quarantineandchill vibes, we got you covered for the entire day. Or we can be your buddy across a couple of days.)

Let us know what your favorite selections are, in the comments below.👇 And feel free to suggest additional songs or episodes that you think we should add.

If you hear something that a friend or family member might enjoy, don’t hesitate to share it; we all can benefit from that simple “This reminded me of you” message right now.

Stay Safe! 😷

Why we picked what we picked

FFT — Brené Brown’s Unlocking Us

"This episode is about how we handle being new at something ("FFT" stands for "F*cking First Time"). As we navigate a world that's been turned upside down, it's comforting to remember that we're all beginners in this scenario. The pandemic is scary and sad and lonely, but it's helpful to remember that our feelings are valid, and that if we approach them calmly, there are ways to cope.”

— Willow Belden, Host & Founder of Out There Podcast

Here Comes the Sun — Joshua Radin

“I love this modern remix of the classic. It's a soft, almost-eager reminder in times like these that the sun will still rise and there will still be a tomorrow. Just gotta keep believing.”

— Tiffany Duong, Out There Ambassador

The Friendliest Way — Out There

"You are sure to be smiling by the end of this episode. It's all about how kindness is the most effective way to get what you want. Plus, there are bikes in the story. And a tune from Star Wars.”

— Willow Belden, Host & Founder of Out There Podcast

This is Me — The Greatest Showman

“I love the movie The Greatest Showman and this is one of my favorite songs from it. It’s uplifting and encouraging. It reminds me that we are all different as we experience this time and it’s ok to be different. It reminds me that we need to be encouraging and be a light to each other instead of bringing each other down or be judgmental of each other.”

— Jessica Taylor, Out There Advertising Manager

This Tom Hanks Story Will Make You Feel Less Bad — The Daily

“During the COVID-19 pandemic we are being encouraged (and given an opportunity) to look out for each other in a way many of us never have before (staying home and social distancing); to do the right thing for others around us (even those further away and most we'll never know); to be kind when and how we can. This episode is inspiration and guidance for each of us in a time when many people aren't sure where to start.”

— Laura Johnston, Out There Ambassador Program Head

Mama — Jonas Blue

“I love the musicality of this song, and the reminder that despite what’s going on, stressing won’t help or change the situation. That one line that says ‘how can we waste it if we’re loving every day?’ - is such a good reminder in this season where everything seems halted, that if we’re doing our part to be a good neighbor, we’ll be back soon, and we’ll get through this.”

— Sheeba Joseph, Out There Audience Growth Director

A Poem About What Grounds You — Poetry Unbound

"Poetry is such a source of comfort to me right now. In this episode, the host, Irish poet Pádraig Ó Tuama, reads a poem by Aimee Nezhukumatathil, "On Listening to Your Teacher Take Attendance". In the face of feeling small and vulnerable, the poet grounds herself by revisiting good memories and feelings of being loved. We all feel vulnerable right now, and it is a great time to reflect on what we can hold on to, what reminds us who we are, in the face of challenge.”

— Alex Eggerking, Out There Strategic Advisor

Think & Drink: You're Invited!

Looking for something to occupy your mind for an hour?

Out There Host Willow Belden will be speaking at a virtual “Think and Drink” event hosted by the Wyoming Institute for Humanities Research on April 2 at 5:30pm MST.

The topic of discussion is “Telling It: How Stories Shape The World.” Other speakers include Bethann Merkel, director of the Wyoming Science Communication Initiative, and Arielle Zibrak from the University of Wyoming Department of English.

Grab a drink or your evening meal and join us for an hour of great conversation!

Here’s the Zoom link.

Calling all storytellers...

(Photo by Joshua Hanson on Unsplash)

Out There is about to turn 5!

To celebrate, we are throwing a birthday party in the form of our first ever live storytelling night...and you are invited!

If you’ve ever been to a storytelling event hosted by The Moth, this will be a little like that: an evening of live stories, told by listeners like you.

The details

When? May 7, in the evening (stay tuned for exact timing)

Where? A big hangout … online. We know that all of you are spread across the globe, so instead of holding the festivities in a particular city, we’re doing it online. That way, you can participate from wherever you are in the world.

Theme? Beginners.

Pitch us a story!

What stories do you have about beginners in the outdoors? Maybe a time when you tried something and it took you somewhere unexpected? Or a story of new beginnings?

Interpret this as broadly and creatively as you’d like, and send us your story pitch!

How to pitch: Simply take out your phone, record a two-minute pitch of your story as a voice memo, and email it to us at outtherepodcast1@gmail.com with the subject line “Beginners pitch.” Please be sure to include your name and where in the world you are located. Please submit your pitch by April 3, 2020.

A few tips for the pitch:

• Tell us the actual story, not just what it’s about. In other words: What happened? And how did it change you?

• This isn’t the end product, and it doesn’t have to be totally fleshed out, but we do want a sense of the arc of your story and what impact it had on you.

(Photo by Arthur Miranda on Unsplash)

Mark your calendars for May 7

…and get ready to curl up with a glass of wine and hear amazing stories from your fellow Out There fans.

Thank you all for listening to the show. It’s been a wild ride so far, and we are excited to see what the next five years bring for the show.

-Willow and the Out There team

Out There Podcast seeks audience growth director

Growing our listenership is one of our top priorities for 2020, and we’re looking for an enthusiastic person to join our team on a freelance basis to bring Out There’s award-winning stories to new listeners.

The role will involve a good understanding of Out There’s brand, audience and mission, and an ability to translate that understanding into successful audience growth initiatives.

This is a paid role involving a modest monthly stipend plus performance bonuses. Beyond financial reward, we are a fun, creative team, and we’re excited to welcome an additional person on board to help shape the future of the show.

Responsibilities

Drive and execute audience growth initiatives for Out There Podcast. This will include working with our existing team to develop a growth plan for the year ahead, reviewing progress on a regular basis, and executing planned initiatives.

There is a lot of scope for the audience growth director to set the agenda for the role and come up with new ideas to expand the show’s audience. We want you to be creative! The role could involve initiatives across:

• PR

• Cross-promotions and paid advertising on other shows

• Listener referral programs

• Social media marketing

• SEO

• Paid digital campaigns on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter

• Audience research (e.g. listener surveys, creating personas, etc.)

Requirements for the role

This is a freelance contract position.

Must be based in North America.

Compensation

Monthly stipend of $200, plus regular performance bonuses.

Beyond financial compensation, you will join a fun, collaborative, supportive team with a keen interest in seeing you grow and succeed in this role.

Please note: we recognize that the fixed compensation element of this role is modest. Out There is an independent show on a shoestring budget, and so far, it’s been essentially a labor of love for everyone involved. We sincerely hope to be able to pay everyone competitive wages in the future. But for the time being, please know that you will be earning more than anyone else on the team, including the host and founder.

Experience and skills

• 1-2 years experience in marketing (ideally podcast/media marketing) or other relevant field

• Excellent communication and organizational skills

• Proactive and enthusiastic

• Passion for the outdoors is a bonus

To apply

Please send a resume and cover letter highlighting relevant experience (especially marketing experience) to willow@outtherepodcast.com and alex@outtherepodcast.com by Jan. 31, 2020. Please put “Growth Director Application” in the subject line.

Out There's New Years Resolutions

As an independent production where we’re all chronically overworked and underpaid, it can be easy to focus so much on business growth that you lose sight of creative goals and artistic vision.

So, as we head into a new decade, here are some resolutions aimed at sparking joy, nurturing innovation, and maintaining balance for the Out There team.

1. Play more.

   Experiment artistically. Tell stories in new ways. Try things just because they sound fun and exciting, even if we’re not positive they’ll “work” for the show.

2. Relax on holidays.

   It’s so easy to get sucked into the mindset that holidays are for catching up on work. Let’s banish that notion.

   On future holidays, Out There team members will be expressly encouraged to ignore their emails, close their laptops, and recharge their spirits.

3. Celebrate tiny victories.

   So often, as soon as one project is finished, we instantly launch into the next. That’s not a bad thing; it’s important to look ahead and keep up the momentum. But when we focus only on the tasks ahead of us, we fail to appreciate how far we’ve come.

   Successes, however small, should be recognized and celebrated.

Happy New Year to all, and best wishes for 2020!

Drop everything and listen

Holiday listening recommendations from the Out There team

If you had to pick one episode of one podcast to recommend, what would it be? We’re not talking about episodes you liked; we’re talking about episodes you LOVED. Episodes you couldn’t stop thinking about. Episodes that made you look at your world in a new way.

Here’s what Out There team members came up with, when asked for their favorites:

1. “Frozen Alive Redux” from Outside Podcast

   Recommended by Stacia Bennett, Out There Ambassador

   The entire “Science of Survival” series from Outside is spectacular, but this was my absolute favorite episode, and one I find myself frequently recommending to friends.

   The episode describes the process of literally freezing (becoming hypothermic to the point of unconsciousness) from a first-person perspective. It is so vividly detailed, so expertly crafted, and so realistic that you’ll be shivering before long while listening to it, even on a hot summer day. Listen and learn what physiological changes the human body goes through as core body temperature plummets, and how cold we can get and still stay alive.

2. “Dear Economist, I need a Date” from Planet Money

   Recommended by Tiffany Duong, Out There Ambassador

   Even though it’s about dating, I have used the lessons from this podcast in so many ways in my life. I used it to change careers, i.e. from law to ocean advocacy, by not falling for the sunk cost fallacy of law school or loss aversion fallacy (I was miserable staying a lawyer, and quitting is scary, but I won’t be worse off than miserable, and I have huge potential upside: being happy). The perceived loss of stability was a red herring because I was so miserable. 

   I also use it whenever I’m in a funk by making a similar excel spreadsheet and forcing myself to try 50 new things. It works every time.

3. How to Be a Girl: Daily life with my transgender daughter

   Recommended by Willow Belden, Out There Host

   I rarely binge-listen to podcasts, but How to Be a Girl is un-put-down-able. It is narrative storytelling at its best: tightly woven episodes that keep you on the edge of your seat and challenge your understanding of what it means to be human. Host Marlo Mack uses the most intimate of stories (her experience raising a transgender child) to explore nuanced psychological and social questions, and she has her finger squarely on the pulse of an important civil rights battle.

   Note: This is a serial podcast, so you start with episode 1 and listen in order.

4. “Bill Nye” from the Armchair Expert

   Recommended by Ali Shinn, Out There Ambassador

   This episode takes me right back to being a kid again, eager to learn something new. Dax Shepard’s podcast is amazing and informative, but this episode brings one of my childhood heroes into the real world.

5. Dolly Parton’s America

   Recommended by Laura Johnston, Out There Ambassador Coordinator

   This show is from the creators of Radiolab and is unique, clever, fun and like an onion with so many layers of depth. It’s chock full of incredible interviews with Dolly Parton herself but also academics, students, freedom fighters, a doctor and other people impacted by her work and her place in the world. To listen to it is to be amazed at how much you’ll learn but also how incredible the reporting and editing is to pack so much into each episode. You don’t have to be a country music fan or a Dolly Parton fan to like this podcast. 

   If you listen to Radiolab, you’ll love this for a similar style but an entirely different story to tell. Dolly Parton’s America is a 9-part series that is magnetic and fascinating and thought provoking. It explains the history and story of Dolly Parton in her own words and others’ but also how she is able to bring together people who have political, socioeconomic, age, gender and other differences. 

   This series encourages listeners to think about important and controversial topics that extend from her music and her place in the world. It’s about Dolly, her music, her mountain upbringing and even how we operate as individuals in the world. Even if you don’t start binging on her music, you’ll learn so much about Dolly Parton and her important place in the history. 

   Could not stop listening!

6. “Defending your home from a raging wildfire” from Outside Podcast

   Recommended by Ashley White, Out There Ambassador

   With wildfire so abundant around the world, this episode really struck a chord with me. The storytelling was amazing, and I felt like I was with the main characters throughout their journey.

7. “Bijlmer (City of the Future)” from 99% Invisible

   Recommended by Jessica Taylor, Out There Advertising Manager

Pitch us a story!

Calling all radio producers, writers, and storytellers…

Photo by Christina Morillo

Out There, the award-winning podcast that explores big questions through intimate stories outdoors, is taking pitches — and we’d love to hear from you!

What we're looking for:

We want narratives that are deeply personal, and that also explore a broader question. Your story should have a compelling, thought-provoking plot, vivid scenes, and surprising moments of introspection. First-person narratives are especially appealing! 

The piece needs to have a connection to the outdoors, but it doesn’t have to be about wilderness adventures or feats of strength; some of our best stories - like this one - involve the urban outdoors.

Length is flexible — ideally 10 - 15 minutes.

How to pitch:

If you’re interested in doing a piece – or if you already have a story in the works that you think would be a good fit – we’d love to hear from you. Just email willow@outtherepodcast.com, with "Out There Pitch" in the subject line.

Please make sure your pitch includes:

1. what your story is about -- i.e. the basic storyline, character(s), outcome

2. the big idea/question the piece will explore

3. the overall takeaway

In addition, please include some info about yourself, and point me to an example or two of your work.

Photo by Pixabay

Just to be up front:

We are an independent show on a shoestring budget, so we can’t pay nearly as much as I would like to ($200 - $350, depending on the complexity of the story and whether or not you’re doing your own sound design/mixing). I realize this is more of a token than actual compensation, and I really, really, REALLY hope to be able to do better in the future. But for now, that’s what I’ve got.

I can, however, promise to be a fun, supportive editor, and to help you bring to life a story you’ve been wanting to tell.

One final note:

Out There strives to be a welcoming place for stories and producers of all stripes. We want diverse voices on the show, telling stories that encompass a wide array of experiences.

We know that not everyone can afford to work for pennies, and that economic factors can present real barriers to making and keeping a show like ours diverse. We don’t want money (or lack thereof) to prevent you from telling your story.

If you feel you would bring an underrepresented perspective to the show, let us know when you submit your story; we will do our best to pay you more than our usual rates if at all possible.

Looking forward to hearing your ideas!

#ThankYouPatrons

Patrons are the best people on the planet

Recently, I was listening to an interview with David Sedaris on Wyoming Public Radio.

When asked to share "wise life insights," Sedaris said: "The only bit of wisdom I have — and it's really good advice — is to write thank-you letters."

I remember thinking, 'YEAH.'

I have always loved letter writing. Something about putting pen to paper — actual pen to actual paper — is supremely calming. It allows you write at the pace you think.

It also allows you to transmit a tiny bit of joy to another person. How wonderful it is to receive a hand-written letter — a letter from a real person, filled with real thoughts and musings, penned just for you! Such things are treasures, amidst the usual barrage of bills and advertisements.

A blog post is a sorry excuse for a thankyou card.

But I wanted to express my gratitude nonetheless.

Simply put, Out There would not exist without the generosity of listeners who contribute to the show. Your support makes it possible to do what we do.

Not only that, but patrons — collectively — are changing the way our society values art. In short, you are wonderful, magical beings, and I adore you unequivocally.

Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou.

Nov. 19 is #ThankYouPatron day, a day to celebrate supporters of independent creators.

If you’re interested in becoming a patron of Out There, HOORAY!!!

Be our intern!

Out There is looking for a production intern to join our team for the spring of 2020.

The internship is an excellent opportunity to work one-on-one with an award-winning podcast team, and develop your audio production, editorial and/or social media skills.

About Out There

Nature has a remarkable capacity for helping us make sense out of our lives and the world around us. Out There is a testament to that power. Hosted by former Wyoming Public Radio reporter Willow Belden, the award-winning show explores big questions through intimate stories outdoors. 

For example, a rock climber asks whether you’re a bad feminist if you do a sport just because your husband loves it. A young man on his first hunting trip explores whether we’re all capable of pulling the trigger. And a black birdwatcher explains why the outdoors is not as colorblind as many of us would like to believe.

New episodes are released every two weeks, and most take the form of first-person narratives, with highly edited scripts and detailed sound design. Occasionally, we also run interviews with authors or filmmakers, when the subject matter is spot on.

This is what the audio mix of an Out There episode looks like.

About the Internship

We want you to be doing work you’re excited about, so we’ll tailor the internship to you, based on your goals, interests and skills.

Here are some things your internship could focus on (please indicate in your cover letter which of these interest you most):

• Audio production — cutting tape, editing interviews, doing sound design/mixing for stories (this would require basic knowledge of audio editing software, such as Adobe Audition, though we will work with you to hone your skills)

• Editorial — evaluating story pitches, pre-interviewing guests, booking interviews, editing scripts

• Social media — help us grow our social media following and improve our social media content (we’re very open to new ideas!)

• Suggest your own focus — if there’s something you could bring to the table that’s not listed above, we’re all ears.

What You’ll Get

This internship is a chance to work one-on-one with an award-winning podcast team.

It’s unpaid, but you’ll have weekly meetings with Out There Host Willow Belden (if you’re working remotely, these meetings will be via phone or video chat), and you’ll get to put your mark on the show’s stories and social media. 

Think of it as a mentorship, where you’ll learn what’s entailed in running a professional media operation, and gain fluency in skills you want to develop.

You’re also welcome to pitch us a story of your own; if it’s a good fit, we’ll work with you to develop it.

This is what script editing for Out There looks looks like

Time Commitment

The internship lasts for one semester. We ask that you be ready to devote an average of 8 hours per week to it.

To Apply

Send a resume and cover letter to willow@outtherepodcast.com by Dec. 1, 2019 with “Internship Application” in the subject line.

Please make sure to highlight relevant experience/skills, as well as the areas you’d most like to focus on (eg. audio production, editorial, etc.). If you’ve done previous audio work, please provide a link to a story that showcases your skills.

One final note: We strive to be a welcoming place for people and stories of all stripes. We want diverse voices on the show and behind the scenes, telling stories that encompass a wide array of experiences. If you feel you would bring an underrepresented perspective to Out There, please let us know!

Out There wins national gold medal

Exciting news!

Out There has won a major national award from Public Radio News Directors, Inc., or PRNDI, a nationwide association of public radio journalists.

PRNDI's annual awards honor the best audio stories of the year — kind of like the Oscars for public radio — and we're thrilled to announce that our episode "Selfless Acts" won first place in the independent podcast division.

The episode was written and produced by Out There Host Willow Belden and edited by Becky Jensen.

This is Out There's fourth PRNDI award.

Last year, our episode “The Instinct to Kill” took first place in the independent podcast division; in 2017, the episode "High on Failure" also received a gold medal; and in 2016, we took second place for "Failure in Success."

It's an honor to be recognized by the most respected voices in public radio. And as always, it's an absolute delight to be making the show for all of you, our listeners.

Support award-winning storytelling

Out There host Willow Belden wrote and produced “Selfless Acts".

Listeners frequently compare Out There to shows like This American Life — shows with big teams, substantial budgets, and the support of a radio station or network.

The recognition we’ve received from PRNDI affirms that our stories are on par with those produced by much bigger operations. But unlike those shows, Out There is produced independently and operates on a shoestring budget.

Out There is a full-time job for Host Willow Belden and a substantial time commitment for other team members, yet we earned less than $1.50/hour from the show last year. We love making this podcast, but we also need to support ourselves.

Your contribution in any amount makes it possible to keep bringing you the stories you love.

Become a Patron!

Be an Out There ambassador!

Out There ambassador Stacia Bennett is a former teacher, now in nursing school. And yes, she is wearing a dinosaur dress. (Photo courtesy Stacia Bennett)

Are you an avid Out There listener?

Do you take pleasure in going outside, reflecting on life, and sharing your stories on social media? Do you bring an underrepresented perspective to the outdoor community?

(“Underrepresented” can refer to ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, geography, etc. Simply put, it's any voice that you feel needs more representation in the outdoor community).

If this sounds like you, we want you to apply to be one of our ambassadors!

We’re looking for a few listeners to become official ambassadors for the show.

You'll join our current ambassadors @nonbinarynomads and @adventurelikeagirl in showcasing and promoting the podcast, posting about the outdoors and bigger life questions, and engaging listeners in new and creative ways.

The goal of the ambassador program is to broaden our listenership, foster a sense of community amongst our audience, and spark vibrant discussions within that community. Don’t worry, we’ll guide you and be clear about how we want this to happen. We want you because of your voice, your enthusiasm and your ability to reach new listeners.

What’s it like?

We asked our current ambassadors to weigh in on their experiences; here’s what they had to say…

We’re looking for ambassadors who can commit to:

1. sharing Out There-related content on social media and/or other outlets (eg. blogs) at least once a week

2. engaging in periodic in-person outreach activities

3. attending monthly team meetings (via video chat)

You don’t have to be a known quantity or already a recognized ambassador. You don’t have to be a sponsored athlete. Out There strives to be a welcoming place for individuals of all stripes, and we're looking for ambassadors with a wide array of voices, backgrounds, experiences and ideas.

Please note, this is a volunteer opportunity but also a way to advance your online presence, hone your communications skills and build an online portfolio. We also have swag for you!

Preference will be given to candidates with at least 1,000 followers on social media.

APPLICATIONS ARE DUE MAY 30, 2019.

Out There ambassador Jaye Groves is an avid backpacker. (Photo courtesy Max Crooks and Jaye Groves)

Can you spare $2 for Out There?

This kitten has nothing to do with anything, but it’s pretty cute. (Photo courtesy of the Internet)

I have a confession to make.

For a long time, I was kind of cautious about Out There. I wasn't sure I could make the show a success, so I held onto a part-time day job to hedge my bets.

Finally, last spring, I quit the day job. I decided it was time to take a leap of faith and truly commit to Out There.

For the past year, I’ve been working on the podcast full time, and I’ve been pouring everything into it. I want to make it the best show it can be, and I want it to grow and thrive and become a beloved household name.

I also want to be a good boss to the people who work with me. I want to treat them well, and compensate them for their time.

But the reality is that I don’t have the money to do that. Last year, I made less than $1.50 an hour from the show. And none of my colleagues fared any better.

We’ve made that work for a while, but it can’t work forever. We absolutely love making the show, but we also need to pay the rent and put food on the table.

My goal for the coming year is to raise enough money to pay myself and my team at least minimum wage.

Minimum wage is still … minimum wage. But it would be such a big step up from where we are right now.

So, if you’re in a position to help us out, we’re asking that you make a financial contribution to the show.

We have a goal of raising $3,000 a month on Patreon, which is a crowd-funding platform that lets you make monthly contributions to creative endeavors you care about.

You can pledge any amount – even if it’s just a dollar or two a month. Those little contributions really do add up, and we appreciate and value every single one.

This photo also has nothing to do with anything. But…puppies. (Photo courtesy of the Internet)

We have several exciting new rewards to offer you as a thankyou for your support.

For example...

• For a pledge of $20 per month (or more), you'll get to join our brand new Postcard Club, where you'll receive a handwritten postcard from me a couple of times a year.

• At our highest pledge level, we’ll thank you by highlighting a nonprofit of your choice on the show. That way, you get to support Out There and give some love to a cause you care about.

If you're already a patron…

First off, THANK YOU. You’re the best.

Secondly, if you’d like to take advantage of the new rewards, here’s how to change the amount of your pledge. (It's super easy).

Let’s get to know each other!

Dearest listeners,

Thank you so much for tuning in to us! We have grown a lot since we last ran an audience survey in early 2017. And since we exist for and because of YOU, we would love to get to know you a little better.

So we put together this spiffy new survey.

If you complete the survey, you will:

• Have our undying gratitude

• Get a discount code for 30% off your next purchase of Out There merchandise

• Be entered into a drawing to win: 1) a pair of Smith sunglasses, 2) an Out There goodie pack (including your choice of an Out There hoodie or T-shirt, stickers, and a mug), and 3) a Hydroflask tumbler

If you have any questions about the survey, please email Willow at willow@outtherepodcast.com.

And don't worry — we won't sell your info to anyone!

Cheers,
— Willow and Alex

From thriving to surviving, without losing hope

The beach near Tess Ley’s home in Melbourne, Australia (Photo courtesy Tess Ley)

By Tess Ley

We had an epic holiday period planned for the 2018/2019 break.

We were going to have a party for 400 people, to thank them for supporting us through my cancer journey. Two days later was my husband’s family Christmas function, with over 50 people. The next day, Christmas: say no more. And boxing day? Jetting over to New Zealand for a two-week camper van trip through the South Island with our one- and four-year old to relive our honeymoon. Hiking, horse-riding, kayaking, swimming with dolphins.

Like I said, it was meant to be an epic four weeks of love, fun and celebration.

But, two weeks out, we found out I have 35 cancerous spots throughout my brain, four spinal lesions and… well, let’s just say that travelling and hiking remote NZ was not highly recommended by my doctors.

On top of that, our four-year-old was diagnosed in hospital with a rare (and transient) condition that would likely leave him bed-bound for two to six weeks.

So, there go those amazing plans of ours.

In the swiftness of a doctor’s consultation or two, we went from the idea of thriving through the holidays to simply hoping to survive the holidays.

It’s a phenomenon that every adventurer knows well: how to shift gears when something fucks up on a grand scale.

Whether the weather turns and we can’t visit family across the country, or a sudden illness or injury precludes us from the hike we were planning, shifting gears is something adventurers do with great grace. The resilience we have learnt from years on the trail or in the saddle or in kayaks or however you choose to adventure, comes to the fore, and we actively make the best decisions we can in the circumstance.

Some days we’re left trying to choose which flavour of shit-sandwich we want to eat, and the options aren’t particularly pleasant. But most days, there will be something magical there. Some alignment of the moons that we’d previously discounted, and now are able to take advantage of.

A few days ago, exhausted from full-brain radiation, we ended up at the beach at the end of our street. We sat, with the grains of sand sifting between my toes and the sounds of the water lapping the shore. It wasn’t remote or romantic; dogs and kids and adults were everywhere, there was the smell of artificial sunscreen in the air and there was litter in the sand. BUT: It was still grounding. I could still put my hands in the earth, and feel the water at my feet. My boys still found rocks and shells and jelly fish to explore. The sun was on my back, and the wind was in my soon-to-fall-out-hair and while it wasn’t how I had pictured that day, it was still perfect.

This moment in nature brought me back to myself, reminding me that life is always here, living away, ebbing and flowing like the tide, no matter your intentions or agenda. I felt that this was more than survival, something closer to thriving.

It’s not always easy finding those silver linings. But if you have the power to create a village around you — whether it is family, friends, online kindred spirits, animals, or the very sky itself — there is often a way to make your situation shine. To know that the wild is for all of us, that it has so very much wisdom to offer us and an open invitation to thrive with it, wherever we are.

So how do we move from the “thriving” we wanted into “surviving,” without losing our hope, joy, and momentum?

For me, this time, it’s embracing that at least I’ll be losing all my hair in the midst of summer (arguably the best time to lose it, I suppose). It is embracing that by foregoing New Zealand, we are able to spend time at the beach with family and friends. And it is appreciating that my initial prognosis was that I wouldn’t see this holiday period at all. So as awful as brain cancer is, it means I'm still alive.

I hope you all can get out into whatever wild you can today and take some time for peace for yourselves.

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“Some days we’re left trying to choose which flavour of shit-sandwich we want to eat, and the options aren’t particularly pleasant. But most days, there will be something magical there. Some alignment of the moons that we’d previously discounted, and now are able to take advantage of.”

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Tess Ley and her son (Photo courtesy Tess Ley)

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“It wasn’t remote or romantic; dogs and kids and adults were everywhere, there was the smell of artificial sunscreen in the air and there was litter in the sand. BUT ... the sun was on my back, and the wind was in my soon-to-fall-out-hair and while it wasn’t how I had pictured that day, it was still perfect.”

Tess Ley is one of Out There’s ambassadors. She lives in Australia and is an adventurer, mother, and full-time cancer patient. She’s spent the last two years working to balance her time in hospitals with her time in nature. Follow her on Instagram here.

Into the Blue

If you enjoyed Tess’s piece, you’ll probably also love this story, about leaving behind a career that’s sucking the joy out of life.